


I’ll Make Myself at Home

by universallongings



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: CW_2020, Chenford Week, Chenford Week Day 4, Couch Cuddles, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Reality TV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:00:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25285018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/universallongings/pseuds/universallongings
Summary: As she sat up to top off their glasses of Merlot, she huffed. “Need I remind you that Mondays aremynight to control the remote? It’s not my fault that Kojo wanted a shorter walk than usual this week.” Lucy glanced over at Kojo’s sleeping form in the corner and marveled once again at how she’d grown from a woman who was afraid to keep a toothbrush at a guy’s place to a woman who shared a home and a life with someone.ORLucy and Tim watchThe Bachelor, and Tim has opinions.
Relationships: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 19
Kudos: 82
Collections: Chenford Week 2020





	I’ll Make Myself at Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Chenford Week Day 4: Date Night/Game Night/Night In! The title for this fic comes from “I Think He Knows” by Taylor Swift. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!

Tim laughed incredulously as the couple on the TV screen strolled through an outdoor market in Madrid. 

“How can you watch this junk every week?” Lucy could almost hear his eye roll from her place snuggled into his side.

As she sat up to top off their glasses of Merlot, she huffed. “Need I remind you that Mondays are _my_ night to control the remote? It’s not my fault that Kojo wanted a shorter walk than usual this week.” Lucy glanced over at Kojo’s sleeping form in the corner and marveled once again at how she’d grown from a woman who was afraid to keep a toothbrush at a guy’s place to a woman who shared a home and a life with someone. 

It felt like every restless part of her soul had settled down in the month that she’d been officially living with Tim (and Kojo)—like she’d always had this part of herself that wanted to put down roots and share a closet and a bedtime routine and so much more with someone else; she just needed to find the right world to anchor those roots in.

This world—with Kojo snoring nearby and her guilty pleasure playing on their TV and Tim’s chest serving as her pillow—was the right world. 

Even if she was sharing that world with someone who hated _The Bachelor_.

As she settled back against his body and his short fingernails began their familiar path up and down her calf, she continued her defense. “Mindless reality TV is a good way to decompress after work.” She turned her head to look up at him. “And sometimes they do fall in love for real. It can be sweet.” 

He kissed the bridge of her nose. “My true believer.” His voice was teasing but affectionate, and she felt her smile grow in response. 

A few minutes passed in peaceful silence as they sipped their wine and watched the couple on screen transition from shopping to eating (or, more accurately, talking in front of and _not_ eating) an elaborate dinner in a castle. Lucy was just starting to think she could get used to adding cuddling with Tim to her Monday-night TV ritual, when he broke the silence with a scoff. 

“Wait a second...He already went to the Fantasy Suite with Hannah T., and now you’re telling me he’s taking Hannah Z. too?” He raised his voice in the way he did when he was genuinely upset, and Lucy tried not to giggle at his surprising level of investment.

“First of all, she’s Hannah G., and second of all, that’s how this whole thing works. They need to know for sure who’s the right one for them.” She felt his hand still on her leg and covered it with her own, slowly weaving her fingers around his. 

“That’s ridiculous.” He paused, and Lucy felt something bigger in that breath than just his opinions about a reality TV show. She shifted so she could look up at him, and he was studying her face with the soft, easy smile she loved to think of as hers. “When you know, you know.” 

Those five little words held all the certainty in the world, and she tucked them away in a part of her heart that held memories of books on tape and veggie burgers with extra pickles and opal rings—the part of her heart that belonged to Tim, even before she really realized it. 

Lucy moved with purpose, straddling him and taking his face in her hands. “I know,” she replied with confidence before capturing his mouth with hers.

His mouth moved to her neck, teeth and tongue working over her sensitive skin. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as his hands traveled under the back of her black tank top, his palms gentle but insistent as they slid up her shoulder blades. 

She pressed her lips against his ear, circling her hips over him and delighting in the low moan that emerged from the back of his throat. “Do you want to take me to the Fantasy Suite?” she said playfully before gently nipping at the shell of his ear in the way she knew he couldn’t resist.

When he pulled back to look at her, his smirk was sinful. “Don’t you want to see what happens with Hannah Z.?” 

Lucy laughed vibrantly as Tim scooped her into his arms and carried her to their bedroom.


End file.
